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Jacks - Japanese, Otedama, Fabric, late 1980s Reg. No: HT 14078

Summary:: Alternative Name(s): Japanese Jacks, O-Tedama

Set of six fabric jacks, called 'otedama' in Japanese. They were made by the donor's mother in Japan in the late 1980s. Such toys were played with by children throughout Japan when the donor was growing up but are now only sold at more specialist stores. The donor brought the toys to Australia in her capacity as a cultural ambassador, introducing Australians to Japanese traditions. Some of these toys were previously displayed at the Children's Museum, where the donor conducted several workshops from 1989 to 1993. These workshops introduced children to playing with such toys and to making origami.

Playing otedama with small fabric bean bags is a traditional game for Japanese girls. The otedama are usually small bags, made from fabric and filled with beans or rice to give them weight. More decorative otedama are sometimes made as presentation pieces for gifts or for display. The game is played in a similar way to Knucklebones, and it is sometimes accompanied by a musical chant. One informant preferred a juggling-style of play. Many otedama survive from the Edo period (1603 to 1868).

Part of the Australian Children's Folklore Collection (ACFC). The ACFC is unique in Australia, documenting contemporary children's folklore across Australia and in other countries reaching back to the 1870s. The Collection has a strong component of research material relating to Victoria.
Description:: The six jacks are composed of synthetic fabric sacks filled with a loose material that feels like small beans.They are housed in a red and silver hexagonal box with a fitted lid. Inside the box is a small piece of paper.
Acquisition Information:: Donation from Mrs Masumi Hiraga-Jackson, 2007

Discipline:	History
Dimensions:	5.8 cm (Width), 6.7 cm (Length)
Dimension Comment:	size of each top

More information

Tagged with:	children s play, early childhood development, games, japanese toys, toys
Themes this item is part of:	Australian Children's Folklore Collection, Childhood & Youth Collection, Leisure Collection, Migration Collection, Masumi Hiraga Jackson, Japanese Migrant, 1985
Primary Classification:	GAMES & TOYS
Secondary Classification:	Action Games
Tertiary Classification:	hand
Inscriptions:	Black ink on white paper with border of small flowers. Script reads 'OTEDAMA/Juggling Balls'.
Place & Date Made:	Japan, 1985-1989
Collector:	Mrs Masumi Hiraga
References:	Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopaedia(Kodansha Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, 1993); Japan at a Glance (Kodansha International Ltd., Tokyo, Japan, 1997); http://www.boston.us.emb-japan.go.jp/eng/teaching/trad_toys.html; Traditional Toys of Japan (Craft & Folk Art Museum, Los Angeles, 1979). Further information information on otedama supplkied by Natsuko, a Deakin University student, April 2010.